EVENT WRAP

Access, Achievement, Accord 2024: 
The Australian Student Equity Symposium

Opening the Symposium: Uncle Harry Allie AO, the Hon. Jason Clare MP, Shamit Saggar, and Ian Li.

Dear Colleagues

Last week, the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success brought together university leaders, policymakers, student representatives, equity practitioners, media, and other experts in the sector for our inaugural Access, Achievement, Accord 2024: The Australian Student Equity Symposium.

We extend our sincere gratitude to you for your invaluable contribution to the first of what will become an annual signature event for ACSES. Our in-person attendees at Western Sydney University’s Bankstown City Campus exceeded expectations with more than 100 guests and speakers, with our online audience more than double this on Day One. It is safe to say the event was a resounding success and your participation was pivotal in making it so.

Over the course of two days, attendees engaged in insightful discussions and collaborative sessions that addressed the critical issue of equity in higher education. The exchange of innovative ideas and best practices has set the stage for implementing the recommendations of the Australian Universities Accord, and we are grateful for your role in bringing these insights to light.

SYMPOSIUM HIGHLIGHTS

21 May 2024

Day One began with an Acknowledgement of Country by Aboriginal Elder Uncle Harry Allie AO, followed by a keynote address by Minister for Education the Hon. Jason Clare MP that set a powerful tone for the Symposium.

Minister Clare discussed the transformative potential of education, highlighting the importance of the Universities Accord as a "a blueprint for the next few decades". University reform, he said, was a national project: “That’s why we are also establishing an Australian Tertiary Education Commission. To stay the course, to drive reform, to help us reach that nation-changing target – no matter who the Minister for Education is." He stressed the urgency of addressing educational inequities, stating that "education can’t change everything, but it is the most powerful change-maker in this country".

Q&A with the Minister for Education: Harlene Hayne and the Hon. Jason Clare MP

The first discussion of the day "Access, Achievement, Accord: The Road to Reform" featured a robust discussion with esteemed panel members Kylie Austin (Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia, EPHEA), the Hon. Verity Firth (UNSW), Barney Glover AO (Jobs and Skills Australia), Harlene Hayne (Curtin University), and Mary O’Kane AC (Ministerial Accord Panel), moderated by Shamit Saggar (ACSES). The panel unpacked the importance of addressing the unique needs of each student through personalised and individualised policies, with Professor Hayne emphasising the need for empathy in policy decisions.

"Hitting the Target: What’s Needed and How?" then provided actionable insights into addressing student equity. The dynamic discussion on equity targets featured prominent figures Marcia Devlin (moderator, Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership), Matthew Brown (Group of Eight), Frank Coletta (Australian Technology Network of Universities), Paul Harris (Innovative Research Universities), Renee Hindmarsh (Universities Australia), and Alec Webb (Regional Universities Network). The discussion covered how to achieve these targets, with a focus on public expenditure by the Australian Government in the education sector. Mr Harris highlighted budget allocations, noting the significant funding for private schools and the increase in student assistance due to HECS-HELP relief.

Student ambassadors joining the event: Audrey Afful, Shifa Dhannani, Danny Saadeh, Maryana Khoshaba, Anna Tasi Tevaga, and Rayaan Omar.

The day’s closing keynote featured Chief Executive at Transforming Access and Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO, UK) Omar Khan's presentation on "Addressing Inequality in Higher Education", which focused on international best practices. The session delved into the persistent gaps in higher education access, and highlighted the importance of continuous, rigorous, and effective evaluation to understand what interventions work in closing these gaps.

Barney Glover AO addressed attendees of the Opening Night Dinner at the Bankstown Sports Club, during which he emphasised the importance of harmonising vocational education and training with higher education, suggesting a fresh look at Australian Qualifications Framework reforms and the creation of a common language. He highlighted the need for smart use of joined-up data sets and a national skills passport as crucial enablers of equity.

22 May 2024

Day Two began with an address delivered by Shadow Education Minister Senator the Hon. Sarah Henderson in which she acknowledged the valuable role ACSES plays in closing the equity gap in higher education, as well as the positive initiatives universities have taken irrespective of the Accord Final Report. She outlined significant challenges in the school sector, particularly highlighting concerns over declining NAPLAN results. Her address emphasised the need for continued efforts to address these issues and improve educational outcomes across the board.

Our Student Voices Panel: Maria Raciti, Tayla Roberts, Kathleen Nelly, Ebe Ganon, Dylan Storer, and Sally Kift.

The first panel discussion of the day was arguably the most engaging session of the Symposium "Listening to the Student Voice: Challenges to Student Success at University and Beyond". Moderated by Maria Raciti (UniSC), the student panel discussion focused on the many cross-dimensional factors affecting student success. The panel featured insights from Ebe Ganon (Children and Young People with Disability Australia), Kathleen Nelly (Curtin University), Tayla Roberts (Ministerial Reference Group), and Dylan Storer (UN Youth WA), with contributions from sector expert Sally Kift. Miss Roberts highlighted the need for more opportunities for students in regional areas, emphasising “Country kids can’t be what they can’t see”. Panellists stressed the importance of universities improving their capacity and skills, advocating for flexible services, effective support, and inclusive course design to minimise student stress, and pointed out the critical role of involvement in clubs and extracurricular activities in enhancing student success. The panel underscored the necessity of listening to student voices to address their challenges and ensure equitable success in higher education.

"Funding an Ambitious Equity Agenda" followed to address the critical challenges and opportunities in funding an ambitious equity agenda for higher education. Moderated by Nadine Zacharias (Equity by Design), the panel included insights from Gwilym Croucher (UniMelb), Patricia Davidson (UoW), Andrew Norton (ANU), and Shamit Saggar (ACSES). Panellists underscored the necessity of aligning funding strategies with the broader goals of equity and inclusivity, highlighting successful examples and identifying areas needing further investment. The session emphasised that sustainable and strategic funding is essential to making higher education accessible and supportive for all students, ensuring long-term success and societal impact.

"Access, Achievement, Accord: Where to From Here?" formally closed the Symposium by highlighting future directions for our collective efforts. Ian Li (ACSES) and Tayla Roberts, reflected on the key insights gathered over the event, after which Universities Australia CEO Luke Sheehy delivered a compelling closing address emphasising the transformative power of education and the need for equity in higher education. Mr Sheehy highlighted the urgency of increasing the number of underrepresented students in universities to meet future national skills needs, stating: "The only way to increase the number of people studying at university is to significantly increase the number of students who are currently underrepresented in our system.”

SURVEY

We value your insights to help us improve future events. Please take a moment to complete our Post-Symposium Survey. We hope to announce our 2025 student equity symposium in the coming months, so any feedback will be much appreciated.

Please look out for our upcoming newsletter with links to video recordings from the event so you can watch on demand. We hope these resources will allow you to revisit and share the impactful moments from the event.

Once again, thank you for your dedication and for sharing your expertise with us. We look forward to continuing our collaboration and making significant strides towards achieving equity in higher education.

Sincerely

Professor Shamit Saggar CBE FAcSS 
Executive Director 
Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success 

Professor Ian Li SFHEA 
Research and Policy Program Director 
Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success

Symposium highlights in pictures

Enjoy some snapshots from our two day event - featuring many of our speakers, expert panellists, in person attendees, and special guests. Available now on our YouTube channel.

Welcome to our interim Director

We are pleased to announce respected higher education expert Dr Tim Pitman has been appointed as the interim Trials and Evaluation Program Director at the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success.

Dr Pitman is a distinguished researcher in higher education policy, with a passion for widening access and participation for under-represented groups. His extensive experience includes a tenure as an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Humanities at Curtin, and serving as a co-director and Grants and Fellowships Committee member at NCSEHE (now ACSES).

With a career in Australian higher education dating back to 1996 and a PhD in Education from The University of Western Australia, Dr Pitman is exceptionally qualified to lead our T&E Program.

ACSES in the News

• Unis should deliver student diversity data before receiving equity funds, Campus Review
• International education cutbacks ‘jeopardising Accord agenda’, Times Higher Education
• Australian opposition gives qualified support to accord reforms, Times Higher Education
• Australia’s new regulator needs to focus on equity and prosperity, Times Higher Education
• Australian student surveys survive budget razor, Times Higher Education
• Budgets benefit WA education, Business News Magazine
• Home alone with bad internet: why online university students in regional Australia are turning to study hubs, The Guardian